Housing fob universal joints



April 16, 1935. c. GEROLD HOUSING FOR UNIVERSAL JOINTS Original Filed June 4, 1950 H gmo/ntoc dbtomzq Reissued 16, 1935 UNITED STATES HOUSING FOR UNIVERSAL JOINTSY Catlin Gerold, Los Angelos, Calif.

Original No. 1,887,755, dated November 1932, Serial No. 459,138, June 4, 1930. Application for reissue November 12, 1934, Serial No.'752,737

10 Claims. (Cl. 64-89) This invention relates to. universal joints-and more particularly to the housings which are employed for the purpose of retaining thelubr'icant and for supplyin v he same in operative relation 5 to the working parts of such joints.

It is the general purpose and object of the invention to provide, for joints of the character referred to, a housing comprising a plurality of spherical interleaving housing sections, each section being in the shape of a segment of a sphere and the sections being so constructed and arranged as to permit of their relative oscillatory movement, due to the rotation of the misaligned shaft sections to which they are respectively connected, while preventing the escape of lubricant from the housing. A further-object of the invention is to enable this result to be accomplished without the use of special packings, such as have been customarily employed heretofore in connection with housings of the general type to which my invention relates. A still further object of the invention is to provide a housing which, while realizing the objects and advantages above recited, will permit the housing to be used Wherever an ordinary universal joint has been employed, without interference with the various parts of the chassis assembly.

Further and more limited objectsof the ln vention will appear hereinafter and will be realized in and through the construction and a1- rangement of parts shown in the drawing hereof, wherein Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of a universal joint equipped with a housing constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the ends of the shaft sections connected by said-joint; Fig. 2 an end elevation of the housing, with certain parts broken away; and Fig. 3 a detail in section through a portion of a housing construction showing a modification of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated herein, I denotes one of the shaft sections to be united, the same being provided with a hub 2, having a flange 3 provided with yoke arms 4 each having, in the embodiment shown herein, a slotted bearing bore 5 each receiving a bushing 6 for a trunnion of a cross pin Ia of a connecting cross member. As is known the crossing point of the center lines of the cross pins 1 and la is the spheric center of the universal joint per se, the joint constituting what is known as a spheric mechanism. 7

8 denotes the hub of another shaft section, the same being provided with yokes 9, similar to the yokes 4, each yoke having a bearing bore II] which is preferably similar to the slotted bearing bore 5 and also being provided each with a bushing ll similar to the bushing 6 for the reception of a trunnion l2 of the other cross pin of said .cross member. The construction of universal joint thus far described is merely illustrative of one type of such joint for connecting adjacent ends of two opposed shaft sections."

For the purpose of supplying lubricant to the Working parts of the joint as well as for retaining lubricant, I provide a sectional housing, the same comprising a cylindrical housing member I3 of less diameter than the flange 3, and itself having a radially outwardly extending flange l4 adapted to be secured to the flange 3 by bolts l5 extending through the said flanges and through a companion flange l6. A packing ring or gasket I8 is inserted between the flanges 3 and M.

The cylindrical housing section I3 is provided with an internally threaded filling opening l9, through which lubricant may be inserted into the housing, said opening being provided with a plug 20.

At its end opposite the flange M, the section l3 isprovided with a shorter outwardly extending radial flange 2|. 22 denotes an inner spherical housing section provided at its enlarged end with an outwardly extending radial flange 23 preferably of the same external diameter as the flange 2| and abutting against the latter flange. The outer spherical housing section 24 is provided at its enlarged end with an outwardly extending radial flange 25, which is also preferably of the same external diameter as the external diameters of the flanges 2| and 23.

' Cooperating with the housing sections Hand 24 is an intermediate housing section 26 having a cylindrical neck 21 closely fitting the hub 8 and secured thereto,' the section 26 having a spherical portion which is also concentric with the sections 22 and 24, the thickness of the metal comprising the section 26 being such that the main body thereof fits fairly snugly within the space provided between the last mentioned sections. The section 26 is of such extent as to provide, between its enlarged end and the flange 25, a chamber 28 which receives lubricant from the housing by centrifugal action through one or moreopenings 29. The flanges 2|, 23 and 25 may be united in any convenient manner, as by automatically welding the same together, as indicated at 30, or by riveting the same together, as shown at 3| in Fig. 3. The flange 25 is sufiiciently shorter than the flange 23 to provide, when the outer ends of the said flanges are in register and united, an intermediate space of suflicient width for the reception of the section 26 and for the provision of the chamber 28.

The spherical portion of each housing section 22, 24 and 26 is concentric with the intersection of the axes of the cross pins Ia, thereby to accommodate oscillatory movement between the section 26 on the one hand and the sections 22 and 24 on the other hand, due to lackof alignment of the shaft sections which are connected by the universal joint.

In operation, as the shaft sectionsare rotated, the housing rotates therewith and the lubricant is thrown outwardly by centrifugal action through the opening or openings 29 into the chamber 28. Furthermore, owing to the centrifugal action, there will be a constant tendency for the lubricant to seek the part-ofsaid'chamber which is of the greatest diameter, which will automatically prevent any :leakage of "lubricant between the interengaging portions of the Spherical housing sections, while supplying sufflcient lubricant, by capillary action, between such interengaging portions of said sections.

It will --beevident-that, because of the-construe tion and arrangement- 0f parts shown -herein,--an extremely simple and 'efiective lubricant-containing housing is provided ion-universal joints and one which will not only insure the lubrication of the parts of thej oint within the-housing, but will prevent the escape of *lubricant Irom the *housingwithoutthe use of springs and packings such as have been employed heretofore, while securing proper lubrication of *the interengaging-housing sections. '-Eurthermore,-due to the manner of constructing the-housing, it may be applied to existing types of universal joints and employed wherever such joints have "been employed "hereto'f ore, without interference of "the housing with various parts-of the chassis as-' semblythis being due to-the'factthat'the housingproper is of less diameter than the-diameter of the flanges '3 and 4 of 'the -joint.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: *1. The combination, with-a pair of-shaftsections and meansfor' uniting thesame cOm-pri-sing' a universal joint,- of a housing enclosing the 'universal 'joint, the said-housing comprising a housing -member secured at one "endto one of said shaft sections and having a radially "outwardly extending flange at its opposite-end, innei a'nd outer concentric spherical housing'sections', each of the last mentioned'sections having a radi ally outwardly extending flange at its enlarged end, the outer portions of saidhousing-sectiomflanges being-united with the flange of thefhcusing mem hen-the flangeon the inner housing section being interposed between-the other two fianges, there being a space provided between =-the -spherica1 sections, and a third sphericalsectionhaving its enlargedend'of smaller diameter than :the maximum diameter of the other sectionsand interposed between-suchsections, the'=1ast mentioned section having a reduced end secured to the other of said shaft sections, there being a chamber provided between. the inner, and .outer spherical sections beyond the enlarged end of the intermediate section, andmeans for supplying lubricant by centrifugal action efromwsaid housing to said chamber. 7

2. The combination, with'a pair of shaftsections andmeans f or uniting the same comp-rising aflange carried'by one of said sections, :a yoke carriedbysaid flange, .a-yoke carried by the-oppesiteshaft section, a .cross member connecting one pair of vyokes withthe other, of ahousing enclosing the cross member and connections;lth-e saiduhousing comprising a cylindrical 'member having a radially outwardly extending flange at one end thereof secured to the first inentione'd flange .and having at its opposite end aradialiy outwardly extending flange'of less diameter than thefirstmentioned' flanges, inner and outer com centric spherical housing sections, each of the last mentioned sections having a radial flange at its enlarged tend, means .for securing the flange of the :outersspherical section to thesecond'jflange on the cylindrical member, with the flange of the inner spherical section interposed between the other flanges thereby to provide a space between isuch-ssphericalvsections, and a third spherical section-havingits enlarged end of smaller diameter "than the maximum diameters of the other sec- ;tionsmndjnterposed .between such sections, the

' last mentioned section having a reduced end se- -cured"to the --other of said shaft sections, there tbeingachamber provided between the inner and outer, spherical sections beyond the enlarged end of the intermediate section, with oneor more openings in the innermost'spherica'lsection 'for the supply of lubricant to said chamber by-centrifugal action frem the interior of the housing 3. The combination, with a-pair ofshaft-sections and means for uniting I thesamecomprising a flange -car'ried by :one of :said sections, a yo'ke carried= by said iflange, a yoke carried 'by the opposi'te shaft section and --a1-cross member connecting one pair let yokes with the otherg of -a housingenclosingthe cross =member=and connections, thesaid -housing comprising -:a section ham ing :at one end a radially outwardlyextending flange secured 1 to $1162 first mentioned-flange, and having at its opposite ends radiallyoutwardly extending flange 1 of i less I diameter than its other flange, inner-and outer spherical housing :sectio'n members each-havingttheir enlarged: ends secured to the 'second men'tioned fla-nge on the "first sectien with a space betweensuch-spherical sections,

a third spherical section extendingbetween the reduced ends of the first mentioned spherical sections and having its -enlarged 'end of smaller diameter than the darger diameters of the first twospherical sections, thereby providing achamb'erbetween such enla-rged ends of the-said spherical sections, the reduced-endofthe-intermediate section beingsecured to the other-of-the said shaft sections, and means for supplying lubricant -by centrifugalaction fromthe-interior of=-said housing to said'char'nber.

4. 'The eombina'tion, with 'a --*pair I of shaft sections and means f or uniting the-same comprising a. flangecarriedbyone of 'saiti -sections, a-yoke carried by said flange, a'yoke carried by'the opposite-shaft section-and across member-connecting one pair of yokes with the other, of 'a housing enclosing =the'cross member andconnections, the said -hoi'tsi-ng comprising a section connected .at one end to said flange, an inner and-an outer spherical housing section secured at their enlarged ends to the -oppesite end-of=the'first section with aspace between theirspherical portions-an intermediate spherical section secured atone end tothe other shaft section and extending into the space betweenthe {other two spherical sections and having itsenlarged end of. smaller diameter than the diameters of the enlargedends of the first mentioned sections thereby providing .a chamber between the enlargediendsrof the inner andouter spherical sections beyond .tl'ie enlarged end of the intermediate sectiongthere beingione or more openings for the supply of lubricant fby centrifugal action through the inner spherical section to the aforesaid chamber, the said housing being -of less diameter than said :flange :from its :point :of connection therewith to its "point of connection with thexopposite shaft section. i

=5. The combination with a, pairof :shait -sectionsand meansftorunitingithe same'comprising a flange carried by one of said sections, a yoke carried by said flange, a yoke carried by the opposite shaft section and a cross member connecting one pair of yokes with the other, of a housing enclosing the cross member and connections, the said housing comprising a section connected at one end to said flange and having at its opposite end a radially outwardly extending flange, an inner and an outer spherical housing section each having a radially outwardly extending flange, the flange of the inner section being interposed between the flanges of the outer section and of the first mentioned section and the said flanges being united together to provide a space between the inner and outer spherical sections, an intermediate spherical section secured at one: end to the other shaft section and extending upwardly into the space between the other two spherical sections and having its enlarged end of smaller diameter than the diameters of the enlarged ends of the first mentioned sections thereby to provide a chamber between the enlarged ends of the inner and outer spherical sections and beyond the enlarged end of the intermediate section, there being one or more openings for the supply of lubricant by centrifugal action through the inner spherical section to the aforesaid chamber, the flanges uniting the housing sections being of less diameter than the first mentioned flange.

6. The combination, with a pair of shaft sections and means for uniting the same comprising a universal joint, of a housing enclosing the universal joint, the said housing comprising a housing member secured at one end to one of said shaft sections, inner and outer concentric spherical housing sections secured at their enlarged ends to the adjacent end of the said housing member and in spaced relation to each other, a third spherical section also concentric with the first mentioned spherical sections and having its enlarged end of smaller diameter than the maximum diameters of the other sections and interposed between such sections, with the provision of a chamber beyond the enlarged end of such third spherical section, the third spherical section having a reduced end secured to the other of said shaft sections, and means for supplying lubricant by centrifugal action from the said housing to the said chamber, the diameter of the housing at the point including the connections between the first and second spherical sections and the housing member being no greater than the greatest diameter of the housing member.

7. The combination with a pair of shaft sections, of an annular flange secured to one of said sections, means for uniting said sections comprising a universal joint, a housing enclosing said universal joint and comprising a housing member secured to said flange, inner and outer concentric spherical housing sections secured at their enlarged ends to the adjacent end of the housing member with their spherical portions in spaced relation to each other, a third spherical section also concentric with the first-mentioned spherical sections and having its enlarged end of less diameter than the maximum diameters of the other sections and interposed between such sections with the provision of a chamber beyond the enlarged end of such third spherical section, the third spherical section having a reduced end secured to the other of said shaft sections, and means for supplying a lubricant by centrifugal action from the housing to the said chamber, the

maximum outside diameter of the spherical sections being no greater than the maximum diameter of said flange.

8. The combination, with a pair of shaft sections and means for uniting the same with a universal joint, of a separate housing enclosing the universal joint, the said housing comprising a member secured at one end to one of said shaft sections extending approximately to a plane including spheric center of the universal joint and having outwardly extending means spaced from said secured end, inner and outer concentric spherical shell sections extending endwise from said outwardly extending means and surrounding the joint, there being a space provided between said spherical shell sections, and a third spherical shell section interposed between said inner and outer shell sections, the last-named section having a reduced end secured to the other of said shaft sections, there being a chamber provided between the inner and outer spherical shell sections beyond the enlarged end of the intermediate section whereby relative movements between the inner and outer shell sections and the intermediate section may take place.

9. The combination, with a pair of shaft sections and means for uniting the same comprising a flange carried by one of said sections, a yoke carried by said flange, a yoke carried by the opposite shaft section, a cross member connecting one pair of yokes with the other, of a separate housing enclosing the cross member and connections, the said housing comprising a cylindrical portion at one end secured to the first-mentioned flange, the same extending approximate- 1y to a plane including the spheric center of the cross member and having at its other end a spherical portion, with an intermediate outwardposite shaft section, a cross member connecting one pair of yokes with the other, of a separate housing enclosing the cross member and connections, the said housing comprising a removable cylindrical member having a radially outwardly extending flange at one end thereof removably secured to the first-mentioned flange and having at its opposite end a radially outwardly extending portion of less diameter than the firstmentioned flange, the plane of said last-named portion including the center of the cross member, inner and outer concentric spherical housing sections joined at the outwardly extending portion to provide a space between such spherical sections, and a third spherical section interposed between such sections, the last-mentioned section having a reduced end secured to the other of said shaft sections, there being a chamber provided between the inner and outer spherical sections beyond the enlarged end of the intermediate section.

CATLIN GEROLD. 

